I feel the urge to write a fanfic. Be afraid...

[theravenisdead]

Anyway, all I can show is some random graphical things like this.  The real design is still way farther behind than I'd like it to be.  Unfortunately, I don't have a LOT of time right now to do anything.  But we'll see.  I'll definitely keep anyone interested informed as it goes.  I have a demo video that shows off some camera math for a pseudo-cinematic, but that is so incredibly dated already.  I'd like to have something up-to-date that's more than just a "prototype", but an actual "demo" that shows off what we're going into.  THEN we'll have something to speak of for sure.  

Impressive shots mate!

All I can say is definately keep me in the loop, Id love to try and help whatever it is you end up doing  

Oh, and my Fanfic will probably end up being PG. *waves to Washu*

[Lord God Jinnai]

By the way, Rob, what program are you using to do your models in? I'm just asking since I have access to computers with 3D Studio Max and Maya on them, so if you need help modeling something then I may be able to help out.

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

I typically have little money to spend and am only attending poor man's college (Community College) in a Robotics program.  To sum it all up, I have no access to "real" 3D modelers.  I use a combination of a custom utility I wrote that "2Dimensionalizes" the process...

http://www.el-hazardonline.net/El-Hazard/temp/rob/3d-in-a-nutshell.PNG
Old stock image I use, slightly out of date since I know longer do the triangles here

This compensates for the fact that I as a tech guy and not a graphic artist type can not actually build models in 3D space.  I have no idea why, but something in my brain just can't work that way.  

And then I import this data, which will actually come out as nothing but a series of points, into a standard Quake model editor.  Once the structure is built, I import it into a Quake skinner and apply the skin.  So finally I end up with an MD2 that I import via custom code found on the internet.

The program I use for building though is "Quake Model Editor", and incidently it is supposed to be able to import and export 3DS files which I believe is the format of 3D Studio Max, isn't it?  So if you wanted to try doing stuff you'd probably not need to worry about my stuff at all.  Unless of course you were to tweak existing models.  I'm pretty sure there's no transfer of "skins" with 3DS exporting or importing so that'd probably be the largest problem there.  Of course, you could just do all that work on your side to create NEW models.  (That is, create it in 3DSM, save it out, import it in, dump an MD2, skin MD2, and send finalized product.)

I'm far from an expert in modeling (Damn it, I'm a programmer, not an artist!) so I utilize a lot of crude techniques.



Fortunately, the results aren't too bad.  Though you see things like Makoto's face is shaped a little funny.  The slant-shutting of his eyes was deliberate though... in a very old topic on this forum, I had noted that eyes generally, with a few exceptons, tell age in El-Hazard [at least, since some other animes do it too I think].





Seems like generally the older you are, the less round and more uh... "straight-lined?" your eyes are depicted.  Anyway.  Me and my brother have had numerous vague story talks and our general time placement's been something in the ballpark of 2 years off of AW, which already added ONE year, so we're looking towards an aged Makoto (and everyone else for that matter)... mostly to open up a lot of story-based possibilities and allow stuff to be pre-developed for us.  (Jinnai should be damn good and ready to attack again with a full fledged army and new fortress, Makoto has some dig sites going looking for ancient technology and is far along with dimensional theory, etc.)  

We get the ball rolling right away and won't have to resort to too much of the original EH gag stories that never actually progress towards the thing Makoto is supposed to be doing in the first place.  Plus we need more Bugrom action instead of other people doing common villiany for us.  Oh, and maybe we can throw the Phantom Tribe in the mix too since they've had a little time.  I think you get the idea with that...

I probably shouldn't have started this in this thread.  

[Lord God Jinnai]

Damn, that's pretty impressive work you did there, especially with a 2D drawing program!

As for the file format, since the models in your game are in Quake 2 format, then it shouldn't be a problem to import Max models into the Quake editor. Then we can just change them from a .max file into an md2 format.

I made a Gummo Bugrom model once for my basic modeling class, but it didn't turn out too well.  :-/

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

I made a Gummo Bugrom model once for my basic modeling class, but it didn't turn out too well.  :-/

Actually, that is one thing that's interesting about using 2D front/side/back models to fill in the information; since I can use the actual designs to begin with, this helps immensely in likeness.

[Lord God Jinnai]

Yes, I must admit that program you wrote looks really interesting to use. The way 3d software usually works is you start off with a basic shape (like a sphere or cube) and then sculpt something out of it. Yours seems to take a different approach, by drawing out the completed figure first, then transitioning it into three dimensions. It's more like traditional animation, in a way.

Is it an original program of yours? If so, it might make a viable commercial product. I know a lot of animators who might be interested.

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

Yup, it's mine.  It'll probably need a LOT more development before it's commericial-ready though.  But hey, that's not a bad idea.  

[Lord God Jinnai]

Feh, just pretty it up and put a cute animal on it for a mascot. It'll sell like hotcakes, I tells ya! Hot cakes!

[Saucer]

Fortunately, the results aren't too bad.  Though you see things like Makoto's face is shaped a little funny.  The slant-shutting of his eyes was deliberate though... in a very old topic on this forum, I had noted that eyes generally, with a few exceptons, tell age in El-Hazard [at least, since some other animes do it too I think].

I don't recall that thread. But yes, it's true for most anime. Funny, I was just discussing that with a friend on AIM last night. Like, about how there's three basic looks for chara in anime. Kids, of course, are small and have round faces and large eyes. Adolescents (usually 12-25 or so) have a similar look, but with larger body sizes of course. And a little more detail. Adults (usually 25-45 or so) have much more detail, especially in the face. Smaller eyes. Then you have old people, who are typically smaller, often stooped. Wrinkled, grey headed or bald, etc. Since anime chara design needs to be as simple as possible (since these figures have to be drawn over and over, thousands of cells), this is why things are simplified so much in anime chara design.

About the eyes in general, eyes in anime usually signify feelings and emotions. Also, innocence. Notice, how children have the largest eyes? And, that they get smaller as they get older? Interesting....

[larewen_evenstar]

Why do I recongnise those pics? Weren't they in a previous topic?